A Very Real Threat
by grey ghost
Summary: The X-Men face a threat that will hit too close to home, and endager all mutants
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own any incarnation of the X-Men in any form

Disclaimer: I do not own any incarnation of the X-Men in any form. This story will start out with this fairly short chapter but will expand to epic size.

A Very Real Threat

Saturday, May 1st 6:30 P.M. EST 

Westchester New York. Xavier Institute for the Gifted.

_X-Men assemble downstairs_

The all points bulletin emanating from Professor Charles Xavier's mind sounded throughout the Westchester Mansion.Storm and Rogue were the first to arrive followed by followed by Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Spyke and Wolverine. Cyclops and Jean Grey were already; Jean being devoid of color with her head slumped on Scott's shoulder with the professor when they all arrived.

"A situation has developed that requires our…. unique talents," began Professor Xavier."It appears that when I was instructing Jean in the ways of our updated Cerebro systems what could best be described as a hotspot of mutant activity flared up not more than 75 miles from here, in a laboratory of some sort."

"What is exactly meant by "hotspot"," inquired Storm.

" Fifty mutants, at least, all with faint life sign.Some with none at all due to reverberations in the telepathic sphere."

The words "none at all cut" through the room like a bullet.There were collective gasps from those who had joined the Professor and his two eldest students.Kitty was the first to actually gain some form of composure to ask for details 

" I don't get if some are dead, why are their thoughts still transmitting," inquired Kitty 

Jean decided to field this question standing up with what little strength she had, "Sometimes when a thought is intense enough it creates ripples kind of like a pebble thrown into lake."She held her face into her hands and trembled ever so slightly at the glancing thoughts that had pierced her mind like needles in the dark. Scott saw the opportunity to put his hand on her shoulder letting more supportive thoughts flood from his mind to her."I saw death, for the first time, real death, last thoughts last wishes, last….," she couldn't take the previous invasion of her mind physically anymore as she slumped to the floor on her knees covering her temple. Scott was quick to offer his hand, as Rouge and Nightcrawler were quick to grab her other arm.

Logan was the first one to actually take in the full scope of whatever Jean had seen through her mind's eye.He himself had been no stranger to mutant labs, such as the one that had bonded adamantium with his skeleton so many years ago." Did you check it out yourself Chuck."

The Professor momentarily turned away from Jean to address Logan, " Yes I did Logan, and it was not at all similar to the labs you are familiar with.The worse of it is I detected traces of homicidal urges, with a dizzying amount of genetic knowledge.The institution flared too much with hatred to be a simple laboratory."

Kurt took the opportunity to chime in after helping Jean back to the couch."Where is this laboratory, if mutants are dying we should be there by…"

" Kurt, I only was able to sense the complex for half a minute at most before a powerful force seem to scramble Cerebro, but I was able to tell it was underground and around 75 miles outside of Westchester.It may take a good portion of the night but we must assemble in the Blackbird to be there."No sooner than the Professor stopped talking that the X-Men rushed to their lockers to suit up and prepared for a battle, the type of which that teenagers of their generation had only learned of in history books. A conflict thought impossible in this day and age.They were slowly witnessing, albeit unknowingly, the start of something with a surreal and frightening scope.


	2. Chapter 2: Hotspot

Disclaimer: I do not own any Incarnation of the X-Men in any form

Disclaimer: I do not own any Incarnation of the X-Men in any form.Be patient with these updates.

Chapter 2:Hotspot

Saturday May 1st, 6:45 P.M. EST

Westchester New York. Xavier Institute.

There was always a sort of comradery before the X-Men took on missions.Moves in the Danger Room were planned on being used in the field, jokes about the Brotherhood were exchanged, and field equipment was even swapped.On the night of May 1st you could have fired a cannon through both the Men and Women's locker rooms and chances are no one would have noticed.Especially dazed was Jean Grey.The Professor himself told her that she could sit the mission out, however she knew that a telepath who had seen the complex would be useful in the field. Professor Xavier didn't have the ability to face a combat situation.Cyclops was especially focused lacing his boots before even anyone else had entered the room, save Logan. Noticing the hurry the young squire was in Logan thought it best to calm the boy down.

"Where's the fire One-Eye."

" We've got a mission Logan, and we don't the slightest clue where we're headed."

" Trust me Cyke, I've done this more times than I'd like to, don't rush into it."

Scott seemed to pause for a moment, if only to take off his glasses, and slip his visor on.His eyes were firmly shut with his head pointed to the ground.

" This place, wherever it is, its killing mutants, we've never really dealt with killers before."

" Speak for yourself."

" I just don't want to lead us into a trap."

At this the Canadian mutant snickered a bit at the last comment. " Kid when you've stepped into as many traps as I have," at this Logan unleashed his claws with a sharp _snikt_. " You learn how dangerous a caged animal is."

With that Logan took broad steps to the hanger, Cyclops following him.They reached the hanger with Kurt already boarding.

"How'd the elf get here so fast," Logan asked himself in a low grumble.

" Hey man, when you ride Wagner airlines new clothes are just a _bamf_," Kurt than teleported into a mind air-back flip landing behind Logan "Away."

" Save it fuzzleball, we'll be out all night," replied Logan entering the Blackbird.

Storm and Rogue than entered the hanger; Storm went immediately to the Professor.

"Charles, I wonder if you think it best for the students to take on a potential foe this large, their only teenagers Professor."

"I'm well aware of this Ororo, however my contacts at various local law enforcement agencies prove to be out of the range of upstate New York at the moment.They've made it clear they won't arrive up hear on an anonymous tip from someone as "questionable" as I. Of course I only identified myself as a concerned onlooker, not a fellow mutant." 

" I think we all know the reason why Professor," all eyes turned to Rogue now who was in an annoyed and aggravated stance. "They won't come up because they're _freaks_ being slaughtered, not humans, we don't count we've never counted to them or anyone like them!" 

Kitty was entering the room as the last sentence was purged from Rouges lips," Listen Rogue, no one's forcing you to be here, you can leave for your precious Brotherhood they'll take you back in like a second."

"You take that back you valley girl wanna…."

" GUYS WE DON"T HAVE TIME FOR THIS," screamed Scott, uncharacteristically. "We've already wasted enough time debating, now let's just wait for Jean and Evan we'll be on our way." Scott was clearly impatient now.The Professor had made it clear he would be in charge of this mission, not Logan.And he's team was already bickering, before they left the hanger.Scott's words seem to hang in the air as Even entered the hanger.

"Sorry I'm late guys had to fill up on calcium if I'm any good out they're."He took a quick look around and noticed the X-Men's collective silence towards each other, including him. "Gee, what'd I miss?

"Nothing worth mentioning" huffed Rogue as she entered the plane.

" Say, where's Jean?" asked Kitty.At that everyone was about to leave the hanger and search the mansion when Jean arrived on what look like lightly treaded footsteps.

"I've had enough time to recover, I think I'm ready."

"You sure?" asked Kurt, "Maybe you should sit this one out."

"No. I have to do this." 

At that Jean walked passed the others as if not seeing they were there.Her eyes were focused on the Blackbird. It's opening seemed similar to that of the mouth that hell would use to swallow innocents, her hell.The screams still echoed a bit but they would pass, they would pass.

Saturday May 1st 7:15 P.M. EST

Project Clean Slate Head Quarters Buffalo, New York 

The air was cool as the sun had set on Buffalo, leaving traces of dusk that would soon give way to an approaching night.The man known as Control S, for science, was out for a brisk walk outside the barn that he had spent so many summers at when he was a boy.He had fond memories of his Aunt and Uncle letting him tend to the cows, showing him the ropes of running a dairy farm.An eight year old had little ambitions in this world, his was to be farmer.The Control shook his head as he made his way back to the hayloft.Different plans now, different ambitions.It was a different age, and there were matters that were more pressing to him now than spoiled milk.

The door back down to the lab required a double-sided electronic card that the New York Chapter of the Organization had provided him and the 15 other members of the lab.5 were scientists; the other 10 were part of the operational wing.The barn itself was dug into 40 feet under ground. The outside as well as the inside hay loft looked unassuming enough.It was the "ramshackle" trap door that was in actuality not unlike the security doors used in the darker reaches of the scientific branch of the FBI in Quantico.It was a pain to get the construction materials for a laboratory with the extensive security measures required.The hassle proved to be well worth it.Control S stepped through the door a made his way down to the top level of the 5 Level lab, he made idle conversation with the guard.

" So how much longer is the project going to go at this rate Control?" asked the weary solider.He had been assigned to the project three months ago and hadn't left Buffalo since.Secrecy was essential, the lab must be self sufficient."

"Not very long I suppose," answered Control S curtly. "Frankly I'd love to stay up hear, maybe move the family here after this stage is done with." Control S hesitated for a second "But then again I probably shouldn't mention them should I?"

" No sir you shouldn't"

At that point there was a call from the headquarters of the New York Chapter was shown by a red light on the communications board, Scientist A contacted Control soon after and Control S descended down to Level 2 to receive his transmission

Control S was one of the unique cases with the organization.To be truthful he had never attended a meeting with the entire New York Chapter.He didn't even know the official name of the organization he was working for, it was just always referred to as "the organization" from it's head, a man only known as Control A.The message was only an audio one of course, with Control A's voice electronically scrambled top avoid detection.

" One moment please," the electronic voice emanated from the line as they were scanning for potential wiretaps. For some reason the wait seemed to be twice as lone this time." Thank You."

"Control S speaking."

" This is Control A. I won't take long because after we finish this conversation Project Clean Slate is finished, at least for the time being"

" I don't understand sir?"

" One of our operatives in the FBI received an anonymous tip about dangerous experiments involving "physically abnormal" human beings. The word "mutant" was never said but the idea is just the same. We have to proceed with liquidation. We cannot take the risk that any person, even an innocent civilian, knows of our work up here. "

" Liquidation?" Killing had always been a problem with Control S.He did so willingly, he had gassed mutant to extract brain tissue, removed lungs, livers, hearts, any organ imaginable to study the threat.He saw the worst in the very bottom level, the Level 4 Biohazard level, where mutants had been eaten inside and out by the most horrendous toxins imaginable.With each step he seemed to burn the part himself dedicated to the Hippocratic oath.He made no secret that after many experiments he had rushed into the locker room and vomited.All in an effort to find out what made them tick.When they found that out they could control the proverbial clock.That's what Control S focused on, the Clock which would endanger humanity.The mutant threat.

" I trust the explosives are in place." 

" They have been from Day 1 sir.We've pretty much finished our work here, we can easily move out all of our samples and cultures by as early as 9:00."

" How many mutants remain in the laboratory?"

" 15 sir, none are pure, in both senses, they've either had organs removed or have been exposed to viral and chemical infection."

" Make sure their bodies are incinerated in the blast with the others.From what I've heard the White Phosphorous combined with traces of Napalm should accomplish this end.I have one more question Control, after doing so hang up the line immediately, this will be our last contact.You will go to your home after liquidation and wait for further orders."

Chills ran down the Control's spine as he realized the organization must know where his family lived. "What is the question?"

"What is the state of the toxin you received two weeks ago."?

"Incomplete, we were able to modify some of the samples from the Chicago chapter but the improvement is only marginal."

" You have been a valuable asset Control S follow you're orders as they have been given to you.Headquarters Out."

With a resounding beep Control A was gone. Control S looked up at the clock at the wall.It was ticking, as his heart seemed to race at three times the speed.He left the room as, the clock was still ticking, in an hour it would tick no more.


End file.
